Starting and ignition system for explosive engines



June 1936- R G. RICHARDSON 2,044,917

- STARTING AND IGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES Filed May 5, 1932,2? a .Fzgn? -Inuen2ur Patented June 23, 1936 PATENT OFFICE STARTING ANDIGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES Rodney G. Richardson, Chicago,Ill.

Application May 5, 1932, Serial No. 609,344

10 Claims.

This invention relates to starting and ignition systems for explosiveengines, although it is not necessarily restricted to such systems andwill find application in connection with other electrical apparatus.

The principal feature of the invention is an arrangement whereby a heavyload on one part of an electrical system is prevented from causing anexcessive fall of potential in another part of the system which wouldinterfere with the operation of apparatus included therein. Thisarrangement is particularly useful in starting and ignition systems forlarge eightand twelvecylinder automobile engines. In starting, especially in cold weather, the starting motor takes a heavy current fromthe battery. This produces a fall in potential which seriously affectsthe ignition, the result being especially harmful because it occurs atthe very time when the ignition should be most eiilcient. Tests showthat the normal battery potential of about six volts may be reducedduring starting to four volts or less, with the result that a very poorspark is obtained, which will make the car hard to start and may preventstarting altogether. My, invention insures the proper potential in theignition portion of the system regardless of the load on the startingbattery, so that starting is certain so long as the engine can be turnedover.

I am aware that starting and ignition systems have been designed beforenow with the object of overcoming the difficulty pointed out above.These prior schemes have, however, all been more or less unsatisfactory.Some of them do not accomplish the end sought, others do so only at theexpense of interfering with the functioning of some other equipment,while still others utilize switches, relays, or other apparatus which isliable to get out of order. The plan proposed herein is believed to befree from these objections, providing a highly reliable and economicalsystem of the character described.

Another feature of the invention is a battery unit which comprises inone structure a main starting battery, an auxiliary ignition battery,and a rectifier.

Other features of the invention will be pointed out in connection with adetailed description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic circuit drawing showing one form of myinvention, while Fig. 2 is a similar circuit drawing, showing a modifiedform of the invention, including the unitary battery structure.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference character 2 indicates the startingmotor of an automobile or other engine to which the invention isapplied. The reference character 4 indicates the main battery whichfurnishes current for starting and for other purposes. The battery 4 maybe connected with the motor 2 by means of a starting switch 3. The usualammeter is indicated at 5, while a fuse panel is shown at 6. A generator1 provides current for charging the batteries and for other purposeswhile the car is running.

The ignition system includes the ignition switch II, the induction coill2, the breaker l3, and the distributor M. The drawing shows thearrangement for an eight-cylinder engine. The auxiliary battery 8supplies current for ,the

ignition system during starting, or part of the current at least, aswill be explained. The ignition circuit is connected to the generatorcircuit through a uni-directional current device or rectifier l0, andalso a switch 9, although the latter is not essential.

The operation will now be described, it being assumed that the engine isnot running and that it is desired to start. The ignition switch II isfirst closed, as indicated in the drawing. The starting switch 3 is nowdepressed. This connects the motor 2 with the battery 4, causing themotor to start up and crank the engine. the engine turns over thecylinders start firing and the engine begins to run. The starting switchis then released.

It will be noticed that the main battery 4 and the auxiliary battery 8are connected in parallel through the ammeter 5, switch 9, and rectifierl0. Current for the ignition system may, therefore, be supplied fromthese batteries in parallel, the rectifier It! being arranged to permitcurrent flow from the battery 4 to the ignition circuit. As regards themotor circuit, however, current is supplied exclusively from the battery4, because the rectifier III will not permit current to flow from thebattery 8 to the motor circuit. It follows, therefore, that if the motor2 can turn the engine over only rather slowly, so that there will be aconsiderable fall in potential at the battery 4, this will not affectthe operation of the ignition system, which now gets its current fromthe battery 8. The rectifier III prevents the battery 8 from supplyingany current to the motor circuit, and its out-put is delivered to theignition system at full voltage, or approximately full voltage, therelatively small current re- When quired for the ignition sytem' causingonly an insignificant drop.

As soon as the engine picks up speed, the generator I is automaticallyconnected up in the well-known manner and begins to furnish current. Theignition system is supplied over the circuit including the generator,switch 9, rectifier l0, ignition switchJ I, coil 12, and breaker IS. Abranch of this circuit extending to the right from the lower terminal ofthe rectifier supplies current for charging the battery 8. There is alsoa circuit which extends from the generator through the ammeter 5 forcharging the battea I.

I will be appreciated now that with the generator in operation thebatteries 4 and 8 are effectively connected in parallel so as to becharged by the generator. They are also effectively connected inparallel as regards the supply of current to the ignition system whenthe generator is not running. As regards the supplying of current to themotor circuit, however, the two batteries are effectively isolated andthe battery 8 camiot furnish any current to the motor. Excessive fall ofpotential at thebattery 8 is thus prevented and the ignition isunimpaired even under the most adverse starting conditions.

The switch 9 is not necessary but may be provided if desired. With theswitch in the left hand position as shown, the ammeter will show thecharging current of the battery 4. If the switch is thrown to the right,the ammeter will indicate the sum of the currents supplied to the twobatteries and the ignition system. The difference between the tworeadings will be the value of the current supplied to the ignitionsystem and the battery ii, and since the current taken by the ignitionsystem is known the amount of charging current supplied to battery 8 canreadily be determined. It may be pointed out also that the ammeter canbe observed to detect certain troubles in the rectifier In or battery 8.-If the rectifier l0 should become shortcircuited, the ammeter will givea reading when the starting switch is depressed. Or if the battery 8should become defective, by reason of a short-circuited cell, theammeter will show a reading in the reverse direction, with the engineoil. Both readings can be checked by throwing the switch to the right,thus cutting out the ammeter.

The rectifier or uni-directional current device I may be of thecopper-oxide type, or it may be of the liquid type. The battery 8 may beof very low capacity. A little consideration will show that the poweroutput required from battery 8 is inconsiderable. A battery which willsupply three or four a'mperes for as long as ten minutes would be amplefor the ordinary case. It is contemplated that a battery of three cellsof the counter-electromotive force type, with plain lead plates, wouldbe satisfactory for most automobile starting systems.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the arrangement there shown maybe explained.The reference characters 22 and 28 indicate a. starting motor andswitch, respectively. The reference character 25 is an ammeter, 26 thefuse panel, and 21 the generator. The ignition system includes theswitch 31, the coil 32, the breaker 33, and the distributor 34. Theseparts are similar to the corresponding parts in Fig. 1.

The battery unit is indicated by the reference character 40, Forconvenience in mounting in the car, both batteries and the rectifier arecombined in one unit. This arrangement also has other advantages.including reduction in cost. The cells I, 42, and 48 compose the mainbattery, corresponding to battery 4 in Fig. 1,

while cells ll, 45, and 48 compose the auxiliary battery, correspondingto battery 8 in Fig. 1. The rectifier is indicated by 50, and mayconveniently be of the liquid type, as its maintennance in connectionwith the batteries can be easily taken care of. A dry rectifier may,however, be used if desired. The drawing is more or less diagrammaticand the relative sizes of the parts are not necessarily exactly asshown. It will be seen that a compact unit has been provided, includingtwo batteries and a rectifier in a single structure. This unit mayconveniently be mounted in the space provided in the car for mountingthe usual single battery, and requires no special attention. The costalso should not greatly exceed the cost of the ordinary single battery,if, indeed, there is any diflerence at all. It must be borne in mindthat the present practice is to overcome the difliculty or cold weatherstarting by providing a large battery of suificient capacity to turn theengine over rapidly even 2 under adverse conditions, so-that the fall ofpotential will not be great enough to impair the ignition. Thus thebattery is generally much larger than would be required otherwise; Sincemy invention insures good ignition regardless of how sluggish thestarting motor is in turning over the engine, the main battery can bemade considerably smaller with satisfactory results.

The operation of the system shown in Fig. 2 is similar to the operationof the system shown in Fig. 1. over this again.

While I have'shown my invention embodied in a starting and ignitionsystem for automobiles, its use is not necessarily confined to suchsystems, and it can be used to advantage in other systems where similarconditions exist. I do not, therefore, wish to be confined to the exactform of the invention shown and described, but desire to include andhave protected by Letters Patent all forms and modifications of myinvention which come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a motor, a battery for supplying current to saidmotor, an ignition circuit, a secondbattery for supplying current tosaid circuit, a connection between said batteries whereby they areconnected in parallel while the motor and ignition circuit are inoperation, and a uni-directional current device included in saidconnection for preventing current flow from the second battery to saidmotor.

2. In combination, two batteries, a connection whereby said batteriesare connected in parallel, a motor and means for connecting it to saidbatteries, an ignition circuit and means for connecting it to saidbatteries, the said motor and ignition circuit being connected to saidbatteries while the parallel connection between the batteries ismaintained, and means included in the said connection between thebatteries for preventing current flow from one battery to said Hence, itwill not be necessary to go motor while permitting current fiow from the7 to said sources. respectively, a connection between said sourceswhereby they are both con-.

nected in parallel to each 01' said devices at the same time, and meansincluded in the common connection for preventing current fiow from .thesaid second source to the first device.

4. In combination, two circuits each including a source oifcurrent and acurrent operated device,

a connection between said circuits, means for closing both said circuitswhile said connection is maintained, and a uni-directional currentdevice included in said connection which prevents one current sourcefrom supplying current to the device in the other circuit whilepermitting the other source to supply current to the devices in bothcircuits.

5. In combination, two circuits each including a batteryand a currentoperated device, a circuit connecting said batteries to said devices inparallel while said two circuits are closed, a generato'r and means forconnecting it to said third circuit for charging said batteries inparallel,

and a uni-directional current device included in said third circuitwhich prevents current flow from one battery to the device in thecircuit of the other battery and permits current flow from the generatorto the said one battery.

6. In combination, two circuits connected in parallel, a source ofcurrent in each circuit, means for connecting a load in each circuitwhile the parallel connection is maintained, one load being intermittentand relatively heavy,; and means for preventing the heavy load whenconnected to its circuit from producing a i'all oi' potential in theother circuit, said means including a device in the parallel connectionbetween said sources which permits the light load to draw current fromboth circuits and which prevents the heavy load from drawing currentfrom the source in the said other circuit.

7. The method or operating an electrical system comprising two circuitsconnected in parallel while both circuits are closed, the first circuitincluding an intermittent load and the second circuit including acomparatively steady load, and each circuit including a source ofcurrent, which consists in supplying current to the steady load Isources in their respective circuits when both' loads are on, and inpreventing the source in the secondcircuitiromsupplyinganycurrenttotheload in the first circuit in the event that the potential of thesource in' the first circuit should fall below the potential ,0! thesource in the second circuit.

8. In an electrical system comprising two current sources connected inparallel, the method oi! operating said system to supply a steadyvoltage to a relatively light load and at intervals to carry a heavyload without reducing the voltage at the light load although theparallel connection is maintained, which consists in supplying the lightload from both sources in parallel when the heavy load is oil, insupplying the loads from the said sources separately when both loads areon, and in preventing the source supplying the light load from supplyingany current to the heavy load in case the voltage of the other source isreduced by the heavy load.

9. In an electrical system comprising two circuits connected inparallel, the first circuit including a heavy intermittent load and aprincipal current source, the second circuit containing a relativelylight load and an auxiliary current source, the method of preventing theapplication oi. the heavy load in the first circuit from creating a fallin the potential applied to the light load due to the existence of theparallel connection, which consists in restricting the current flow inthe parallel connection between said circuits to a direction from thefirst circuit to the second circuit, thereby permitting the principalsource to supply current to the light load when the heavy load is oil,and preventing the-auxiliary source from supplying current to the heavyload when it is on.

10. In a system comprising a source of current and two load circuitsconnected thereto in parallel, the load in the second circuit beingintermittent and relatively heavy, the method or preventing theapplication oi. the heavy load from lowering the potential supplied tothe other load due to the existence or the parallel connection, whichconsists in providing a second current source, in supplying current tothe said other load from said second source when the heavy load is on,or from both sources in parallel, depending on wheher the heavy loadlowers the potential 01 said first source or not, and in preventing saidsecond source from supplying any current to the heavy load.

